One encoder recipe that works everywhere (Streamlabs, vMix, Ecamm)

Streamlabs, vMix, and Ecamm Live put their settings in different places, but ApexStream needs the same basic thing from each: one clean master feed. If you standardize the server, key, rate control, keyframe interval, and bitrate, moving between apps becomes a settings check instead of a new production project.

Choose Custom RTMP

Use the encoder’s Custom RTMP or equivalent destination. This sends one feed to ApexStream, where the connected channels are activated from the dashboard. A platform preset can hide values that matter to the ingest, so a custom profile is easier to compare and troubleshoot.

In Streamlabs, vMix, or Ecamm, look for fields named Server, URL, Stream Name, or Key. The labels vary, but the job is the same: the server address tells the app where to send the feed, and the key identifies your stream.

Copy the full server URL

Open Stream Setup in ApexStream and copy the complete, unmasked Ingest Server URL. Do not copy a shortened value from a preview card if the interface offers the full address elsewhere. Paste the URL into the app’s server field and put the private Stream Key in the key or stream-name field.

Keep the two values separate. A missing path, port, or application name can look like a bad key because the encoder never reaches the correct ingest endpoint. If the app has a test or connection indicator, use it before starting the public broadcast.

The shared output recipe

Use this as the starting profile in all three applications:

• Protocol: Custom RTMP or RTMPS. SRT is available for Creator+ workflows that use it.
• Rate control: CBR.
• Keyframe interval: fixed at 2 seconds.
• Video: H.264/AVC, using Main or High profile where the encoder offers that choice.
• Audio: AAC-LC, 48 kHz stereo, at 128 or 160 kbps.
• Bitrate: below the cap for your ApexStream plan, with room for audio.

The exact menu name changes by app. In vMix, check that the keyframe value is expressed in seconds rather than frames. In Ecamm, choose the custom destination instead of a quick-connect integration. In Streamlabs, make sure the computer can sustain the selected scene before raising the bitrate.

Use a plan-safe bitrate

ApexStream’s ingest ceilings are 3 Mbps for Free, 6 Mbps for Hobby, 9 Mbps for Creator, 15 Mbps for Scale, and up to 50 Mbps for custom Enterprise allocations. Those are total feed limits, not just the video number.

Leave a margin. A practical starting point is about 2,800 kbps video plus 128 kbps audio on Free, 5,700 plus 160 on Hobby, 8,700 plus 160 on Creator, and 14,500 plus 192 on Scale. If your plan or account allocation differs, follow that limit instead of copying a preset from another tier.

Check the feed before the show

1. Start the encoder with destinations still inactive if you are doing a rehearsal.
2. Confirm that ApexStream receives the feed and that the bitrate stays steady.
3. Check for dropped frames in the encoder and stream health in ApexStream when available on Hobby+.
4. Verify the two-second keyframe rhythm and audio before activating public channels.

This recipe does not remove the need to test your own camera, scenes, and computer. It gives you a stable baseline, so a problem is easier to locate when you change software.

Keep one short note with the profile: the full server URL, the plan cap, the chosen video bitrate, and the keyframe value. Do not include the private stream key in a shared production document. If another encoder is taking over for the show, they can recreate the safe settings without exposing the credential.

That note also makes handoff between a Windows and macOS operator much less error-prone.

Keep the note beside the profile, not in the public stream description.

It belongs with the encoder profile.